Style Secrets

Now, we all want the style secret of how to look effortlessly chic 100% of the time. I don’t profess to know this ever-lusted secret however I will try to give a few tips which will improve the way you think about your style. The inspiration for this post? I’ve decided that I have nothing in my wardrobe and have had to reassess my style situation today.

1. Invest in classics – Particularly in this current climate where belts are being tightened daily and our shopping allowances are slowly diminishing, it is essential to purchase investment pieces which have both longevity and flexibility in the wardrobe. Everyone ought to have a classic white shirt, blazer, tailored trousers, high heels, the perfect-fit jeans, flat shoes and a little black dress. I always buy my classic white shirts from Gap which never fail to please.

2. Know your size – This is such a vital part of the shopping experience; you can cut hours off a shopping trip by knowing your shape. Firstly, you need to work out what body shape you have, what styles flatter you and the areas you should hide. In time you ought to be able to look at an item in a shop and know instantly whether it will make you look like fabulous or frumpy.

3. Have a fail-safe outfit – It’s important to have an outfit that works perfectly for you, particularly useful for those rushed mornings when you simply have nothing to wear.

4. Learn to love colour – Using Kiera as our inspiration we can see how to wear colour with style. Colour can really lift an entire outfit and your mood. Don’t be afraid to experiment colour whether it be with clothing, accessories, make-up or jewellery. That’s not to say that we all need to ditch black and turn to neons as even a black outfit can be lifted greatly by accents of colours.

5. Dress to please yourself – You should wear exactly what you like; don’t dress for other people. If you feel confident and satisfied with your style then that is enough.

Spend Your Time Fashionably

With A/W 09 London Fashion Week well and truly under way there are many events which pay homage to the winter highlight of all fashionista’s. So, if you are without tickets to the catwalk shows or simple fancy overdosing on fashion frolics then check out these highlights:




Girl of the minute Katie Grand will be taking her new biannual magazine ‘LOVE!’, launched yesterday, to Dover Street Market. Grand has invited her favourite designers to come up with five limited edition pieces that will be on sale for one week only in the Katie Hillier designed ‘LOVE In’ space.




Where better to enjoy the fashionable delights than our favourite retail heaven: Topshop. Topshop will be holding a variety of events which involve customising and beautifying garments in the true creative style of LWF. However, I’d recommend arriving early to grab your space as Topshop is super-busy at the best of times. I’ve tried visiting at a variety of day and time combinations but have unfortunately yet to find a quieter time at this Oxford Street paradise…






Finally, it’s not too late to be on the front row of one of the highly sought over fashion shows. Harvey Nics will be bringing all the action from the catwalk on to the big screen in the Harvey Nichols café.

Countdown to London Fashion Week

The delights of London Fashion Week A/W 09 are almost upon us, and we only have two days to wait until this much anticipated event lands in London and takes over at the Natural History Museum.

London Fashion Week, 20 – 25 February, is famous for its thought provocative, edgy and experimental nature, and hopefully this one will continue the trend.

I will particularly be looking forward to seeing the creations of Erdem, PPQ and Luella, and also eager to see what the reinvention of Jaeger London has to offer. Which designers are you getting excited about?

For a look at the official website click here.

For the catwalk schedule click here.

Death of the Ugg

The Ugg boot is well and truly dead. We saw its peak when worn by Kate and Siena after its launch in 2003. But its lowest point? – that has to be when recently worn by rock legend Ronnie Wood (particularly when sporting the mint green pair) and action hero Bruce Willis.






Tragically, the Ugg is not entirely dead, it still remains alive and kicking with the WAGS, sixteen-year-old backcombed haired toffs and the slummy mummy’s. However, would you ever take fashion advice from someone who tucks in tracksuit bottoms in to a pair of slippers?

But why are Uggs still going strong in these groups? Perhaps because they are the easy option; they are the slippers of the outside world, and are guaranteed to keep your feet warm in the cold winter months. However does this make up for their lack of style, ubiquitous nature and their ability to make you walk flat-footed? I think I’ll give them a miss.

Much to my bemusement the Ugg opening in London’s new Westfield shopping centre caused mass hysteria, so much so that doorman still have to control the flow of people every weekend.

I had a pair in 2004 whilst at University for the comfort and got rid of them after a year because I thought they were dated then. Perhaps Ugg wearers are hoping that they’ll come full circle again like wide-legged jeans, platform shoes and sequins. Word of advice, you store items that you perceive as having future fashion credentials, you do not wear them solidly until they come back in fashion!

What is your opinion on Ugg boots? Do you love or hate them?

The V&A Present Stephen Jones

The hotly anticipated exhibition of the spring is about to commence at the Victoria and Albert museum.

The V&A comes up trumps again as South Kensington plays host to the inspiring exhibition; ‘Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones’ on 24 February in which influential British milliner Stephen Jones explores the cultural and historical importance of millinery.

Whether a beret, deer stalker, Russian, beanie, top, bowler, boater, fedora, panama or trilby, we simply can’t get enough of the coolest of all accessories and it seems we’re not alone in this feeling. Be inspired by hats throughout history, couture classics and celebrity finds.

Hats are a great in so many ways; they hide a multitude of sins, give a quirky twist to an outfit, provide a quick solution to bad hair days and let you stand out from the crowd. My choice for the summer, a cool fedora; what would be top of your list?

Alexa Chung: Decoded

Alexa Chung is undoubtedly one of the biggest fashion icons of the present day. She has developed a style that is immediately recognisable and is one of the most-copied look of past year. It is the look that everyone wants yet seldom gets right; what is it that makes this look so successful?

Every street, club, shop and magazine seems to be channeling Alexa's style, and why not, she is the epitome of effortless chic. This girl has the skill to achieve what very few can; to look like you have not tried, and to look good with it. Having an indie boyfriend on your arm also can't harm your style status...











Now for those of you , who like me, want to add a little bit of 'Alexa' to our wardrobes you'll be pleased to know that there are some very easy style tips to abide by. Firstly, Alexa never wears tights, bare legs are a given. Secondly, long pendents are worn with anything and everything. Then there's the matter of the cut of the clothes; Alexa always opts for classic cuts giving her a timeless look, this teamed with vintage accessories, a boyfriend blazer and bed-head hair finish the look.










However what makes this girl's fashion sense so enviable is that she has such natural style and never ceases to amaze us with her ingenious piecing together of outfits, take the pink velvet Luella ruffle dress at the Elle Awards as a prime example. Alexa we adore thee.

Hysteria for Hummingbird

Like many I am completely infatuation by the institution that is the Hummingbird Bakery. This bakery, which is not content with being every fashionistas dream in NYC, made it's way across the pond to London several years ago to entice us with its sweet treats.

I ventured to the Notting Hill branch last weekend and was confronted by queues of sugar-craving adults, who like me simply couldn't decide which delicious cake, cupcake, brownie, pie or cookie to choose from. I was torn between my old favourite, the red velvet cupcake and the daily special nutella cupcake. In the end I went for the nutella, which was divine, if not a little sickly sweet. Don't let the queues put you off, it is definitely worth the wait.

The delectable cupcakes are a dream of heaped buttercream icing, gorgeous colour, finished with dusting of sprinkles, You can also be assured that they are all cooked from scratch in-house.

The shop itself is a style haven with frosted windows, the inside is decorated in sumptuous cupcake shades of pink, brown and red that entice you in with even the merest glimpse of the treats on offer.

When you're in here, you're greatest life dilemma is not the newly announced recession but what flavour your cupcake will be. Indulgence never tasted so good.